Well packer



C. lVi. JONES WELL PACKER Nov. 19, i940.

Filed Aug'. 25 1939 l -vf/u,

7a/"ence M M0065 INVENTOR 'l /A RNEY dit Patented Nons 199 E94@ WELL PACKER Clarence Mi. Stones, Tulsa, Ghia., assigner to The l Robinson Packer Company, Okla.

Application August 25, 1939, Serial No. 291,987

3 Claims.

The invention relates to well packers, and has for its object to provide a step form of packer, vformed from a plurality of telescopically engaged members which expand the rubber packer when forced into the rubber packer, andfor a substantial distance, thereby insuring a larger area of packing surface between the packer and the well wall. In the step type of packer at present used, where the various steps are rigidly xed, it has been found that the effective packing area is extremely limited to the upper end of the rubber packer, and the same is true of a continuously tapered mandrel. In the step type, it has been found that the only step that did the maximum expandingrwas the last one, that is the one o the greatest diameter, nd that the effective area thereof was limited to a few inches. In this type of packer a long rubber had to be used in order to have sufficient length for the last step of the mandrel to enter. In the present device by providing a telescopic type of rubber half the usual length can be used and twice as much or more maximum expansion packing area against the well wall can be obtained.

A further object is to provide a telescopic ex,- panding mandrel for a well packer and the sec tions of the mandrel with means for normally maintaining the mandrel extended and for releasing the mandrel sections from the lower end of the mandrel upwardly when the sections are forced into the packer, thereby allowing the next mandrel section to enter the packer for the step expanding operation.

A further object is to connect the mandrel sections together by means which will shear and allow the sections to progressively enter the paci;- er from the lower end of the mandrel upwardly.

A further object is to provide connecting means between the mandrel sections having upwardly steppedshearing eiciency from the bottom section upwardly and a stop within the packer acljacent the lower end for causing the shearing after each section has entered the packer for substantially its length.

A further object is to provide the mandrel section with limiting means adjacent their ends for limiting the inward and outward movement of the sections.

A further object is to. form the mandrel sections from cylindrical members having their lower ends tapered and to proportion the sections whereby said beveled edges or ends will form substantially a conical end adjacent the lower end of the packer for insuring an expansion of the packer at the lower end.

(Cl. 16de-l0) With the above and other objects in View the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter setl forth, shown in the drawing, described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a Vertical transverse sectional view through a conventional form of well, showing a tubing string being run in the hole and the telescopic mandrel in extended position.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the lower telescopic section in the packerincident to the weight of the tubing string and when the anchor line engages the bottom of the well. Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the second telescopic section of the mandrel within the packer.

Figure Il is a view similar to Figure l, but showing all of the telescopic mandrel sections within the packer, and the packer expanded into engagement with the Wall for substantially the length of the packer.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view talren on line 5-5 of Figure l.

Figure 6 is a horizontal on line -t of Figure l.

Figure '7 is a horizontal sectional `View taken on line 'i-i of Figure i.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral i designates a conventional form o well and 2 a tuba ing string extending downwardly therein. Connecting to the lower end of the tubing string at t is the telescopic mandrehand which mandrel comprises an upper cylindrical section and intermediate cylindrical section and a lower cylindrical section t.

Connected to the lower mandrel section Ei by means of shearing pins l is an anchor pipe t which extends downwardly and is adapted to rest on the bottom of the well when thepaclrer reaches a predetermined depth for the expanding operation. The anchor pipe is provided with a conventional form ci cage it so that gas or iiuid can pass upwardly through the anchor pipe and be discharged into the well through aper tures Il above the packer, thereby relieving resistance during the running in operation. The upper end of fthe intermediate section t is coni nected to the upper section l by means of shearing pins i2 and the upper end of the lower section t is connected to the lower end of the inn sectional view taken termediate section by means of shearingpins I3. By referring to 'Figures 6, '7 and 5 it will be seen that the number of shearing pins in- \creases from the bottom upwardly so that when 5 the tubing string is supported on the bottom of the well the lower mandrel section 6 will shear its connection tc the anchor pipe and the lower section will move downwardly into the expansible packer 9 to the position shown in Figure 2 in 1Q' engagement with the stop flange i4 carriedby the anchor pipe; then the intermediate section will shear at I3 and the intermediate section will then enter the expansible packer and move downwardly -telescopically 'on the lower section l5 6 until the upper end of the lower section 6 engages the shoulder in the intermediate section, .thereby forming a positive downward stop for the intermediate section so the weight of the tubing 'string will shear theconnections l2 between the upper end of the intermediate sec-` tion and the lower end of the upper section, and then the upper section will move downwardly into the expansiblepacker' and assume the position shown in Figure 4.

It win be noted that the lower ends of the'sec.

tions 4, 5 and 6 are provided with shoulders I6 which limit the outward movement of the sections in relation toea'ch other when the outer flanges Il of adjacent sections engage the same,

D0 and the inner shoulders l5 and I8 form limiting stops for limiting the inward telescoping'of the sections. y

The lower ends of the sections 6, 5 and 5 are bevelled as shown at i9 so they will easily enter the upper end of the packer, and when the sections are in telescoped position as shown in Figure r4, a substantially frusto-conically shaped end is formed by registration thereof to force the lower end of the packer body outwardly along 0 with the radial expansion of the packer member on the mandrel section 4. A supporting collar 20 is provided on-the anchor pipe 8 beneath the packer forrigidly' holding the packer against downward movement.

45 From the above it will be seen that a packer expanding mandrel is provided for Wells, which mandrel is formed from a plurality of telescopi` cally connected members which progressively enter and expand the packer incident to the 50 stepped shearing of the connections between the sections incident to weight above the packer. It will also be seen that by providing means for expanding the packer for a substantial distance from top downwardly 'an emcient packer is provided which is not possible in the oldy type of 5 packer. It has been found that the present device will give a larger wall' contact surface with only half the length of packer necessary, for in` stance eleven inches of rubber packer allows eight and -one half inches full vertical wall co'n- 10' tact. On the step type, however, a twenty twol inch rubber packer, which only binds on its greatest diameter provides only three and one half inches of vertical wall contact, hence it will be seen that applicants packer is halfthe length l5 and utilizes substantially all of the packer for packing purposes, thereby increasing the eiciency and at the same time reducing the cost of the packer necessary for a packing operation.

The invention having been set forth what is 20 claimed as newv and useful is:

l. lil.` wellpacking device comprising an expansible packer sleeve, an anchor pipe carried by said -sleeve and extending therethrough and adapted to engage the bottom vof a well, the low- A25 er end of said sleeve being secured to said anchor pipe, an expanding mandrel formed from a plurality of telescopicallyengaged sleeves, the lower telescopically engaged sleeve being slidably mounted on the anchor pipe, said lower sleeve ,3 having an inwardly extending iiange in the path of the upper end of the anchor pipe, said annular ange also extending beyond' the outer periphery of its sleeve and into the path of an inwardly extending ange carried by the upper end of the next telescopic sleeve above and forming means for limiting the downward movement of the telescopic sleeves yon each other and on the anchor'pipe.

42. A device as set forth in claim 1 including i0 frangible pins carried by the flanges and extending into the lower ends of adjacent sleeves.

3. A device as set forth' in claim 1 including frusto conically shaped lower ends carried'by the sleeves and positioned whereby they will form a single frusto conically shaped end for all of the sleeves when in lowered position and the limitl flanges of the sleeves are iny engagement with each other.

CLARENCE M. JONES. 

